There's an old adage that states: A team doesn't become a team until it wins a big game on the road.

OK, we just made that up, but it sure sounds apropos to their present circumstances.

"I think it's definitely true," Josh Boone says. "And this will be the first test for us, in the new stage of our team, after that long (horrible, wretched, unwatchable Western) streak we had there. Which we don't want to think about."

Here are a few things they have to think about, though:

They've scored 53 fastbreak points in the last two games, after having only 61 across that entire five-game road trip that preceded it.

Devin Harris is proving to be a far better player at home (20 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 6.0 apg, .491) than he is on the road (13.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 4.2 apg, .338).

So it's a big night for him in Chicago tomorrow. He knows if he keeps the pace brisk, they're ready to break through - if not put the Bulls in their rearview mirror permanently.

"We just have to get the same type of energy. It starts with me. I have to get it going early," Harris says. "We had struggled in the first quarters (on the road), we have to come out with more intensity, and rebounding is the biggest key.

"It's a big challenge for us. Obviously, we've played well (at home), and if we continue to do the the things we do at home on the road, I mean, the sky's the limit for this team."

Actually, eighth place and a first-round meeting with Boston is probably their limit, but that would be good enough for Year 1.

* * * *

Curly's staying home, for now. The team left without him an hour ago, and if he somehow makes a miraculous recovery from the flu that had knocked him out all weekend, he might join them in Chi. But don't count on it.

Damn shame, that one. Krstic had finally retuned his jumper stroke (25-for-48, or .521 over his last five games), and this could set him back a few weeks - if we've learned anything about him by now, he takes longer than most to find a rhythm.

* * * *

Think about this, Mr. Harris: If you were still out West, your make-or-break, back-to-back games this week would be against the likes of San Antonio and Phoenix.

Now, it's again . . . . the Bulls and Hawks.

Funny, huh?

"It is," he shrugged. "But you know what? That's the difference between the East and the West. You gotta love it."

* * * *

Four games in five nights. Chicago, Atlanta, Denver, Philly.

Mr. Big Picture says:

"In the big picture, we have 16 games remaining. When you look at tomorrow's game as well as for the rest of the week we have all (desperate) teams -- the three teams in the Eastern Conference we're all competing for playoff entry and seeding. . . .then the team we're playing from the Western Conference is competing to get in.

"So all these games are going to be very similar to Cleveland and Utah. They're not playoff games, but it's going to be playoff-type intensity and preparation that's needed because everybody's got a lot at stake."